Philip J Wells

That rather depends whether the solid state gets hit by lightening either directly or through metal heating pipes etc.; something which is rather more common than we are led to believe. PJW

.....................I've never heard of the Marshall Brothers, unless this is the same company which became Marshall & Sykes of Leeds. MM I am not aware that the book mentions Marshall & Sykes of Leeds and the Index is slightly strange in that the main headings are all Towns and the subheadings, with the page numbers, are all buildings of one sort or another.

I am perhaps guilty of using the "Booth" of the title generically in my text above. The chronology of the Booth firm as given in the Appendix is apparently: 1796-1832 Joseph Booth 1832-1874 Francis Booth 1874-1877 Henry Booth & Co. of Wakefield 1878-1880 Henry Booth & Co. of Otley 1880-1885 Messrs Booth & Hepworth of Otley 1885-1892 Henry Booth & Co of Otley As the book shows, in 1876 Henry Booth was acting for Schulze as he had taken over the building of the organ for Charterhouse School, Godalming, Surrey which Schulze was unable to complete because of failing health. The book also includes a Chapter 11 which covers the work of the Marshall Brothers 1888-1951 who apparently saw themselves as successors to Henry Booth if not Booth & Hepworth. The author thinks there is little substance to this claim.

Board Members may wish to be aware of a new book published in 2011 which so far seems to have escaped the attention of the organ press. “Booth of Wakefield; Organ Builders to the World, 1796-1893,” written by Paul Lindsay Dawson and published by the “Association Britannique de la Garde Imperiale,” Wakefield, (I purchased my copy of the book online through AbeBooks) has drawn on the author’s research over many years in field trips, the archives of the West Yorkshire Archive Service and the online records of the NPOR to produce a book of 344 pages divided into 12 Chapters, mostly structured chronologically around the Firm’s history. Many organ specifications are given and there is also an Appendix of Booth organs. Booth’s work in developing the pneumatic action is mentioned, together with his involvement with Edmund Schulze in England and the influences of other organ builders and organists on their work. The author is at pains to stress that the Firm were no less innovative than the leading organ builders of London. Where the book falls down is in its presentation; it needs a good editor/technical proof reader to address spelling, capitalisation, apostrophes, commas, etc., all things which we take for granted but which grate so when they disrupt an otherwise good read. In fact I found myself reading it with a pencil in hand for corrections; how sad is that!

Thurlow may have been in charge, but I suspect many of the then Walker voicing team were involved. I remember last Autumn seeing a picture of the lowest notes of the 32ft laid sideways across the back wall of the chamber/platform with Keith Bance voicing them. PJW

Walmisley may be associated with Trinity but did not he have his rooms in Jesus College and did his degree there? Whilst a lot may be written about the Oxford Movement was it not the Cambridge Camden Society that tried to put all the theology into practice and an early example of all this must be Jesus College itself? The restoration/rebuilding of the Chapel in 1849 was accompanied by the introduction of an organ given by Sir John Sutton (built by Bishop in a case supposed to be by Pugin), on the north screen of the chancel, a trained choir of boys (in buckled shoes and surplices) and Gregorian chanting unknown in college chapels except at Kings, Trinity (and St Johns on Sundays). Walmisley played at the re-opening and wrote an anthem for them. Sutton made a collection of anthems for them in 1850. (For more see Davidson's book on Sir John Sutton).

Well pass it on to me; I'm unlikely to get one any other way! PJW

I remember being told that the HNB 1964 shared bass organ in the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading did not have room for the C and C# bottom notes of the Bourdon 16ft so as built contained bottom C and an additional lever arm magnet for C# near the top of the pipe. In recent times an electric action extension practise organ was exhibited at the Early Music Exhibition in Greenwich with a classical case designed by D Graebe (? not sure of spelling) which also had just 6 pipes for the 16ft octave of the Bourdon. PJW

Is this Aeolian 'Grand Organ' player part of a 'conventional' organ console? I ask this because I recently heard rolls played on a "Duo Art player" housed in a separate console in a house in Exeter which I thought was stated to be the only working one in Europe. A fascinating machine akin to an early juke box, I think it managed 10 rolls at a time. [ http://www.paulmorrismusic.co.uk/ ]. Unfortunately, I was not making notes of what was heard (or the organists) but one classed as an improvisation was definately 'proper' organ music by Daquin I think. PJW

Thank you for correcting me. I will have a look at the pics. From memory the Bombarde has narrow scaled resonators! PJW

Yates preserved the old console, complete with reverse coloured keys, differing lower compasses and wooden square shanked stop knobs with gothic script labels on the jambs. This was the console in use I presume when Lewis added the 32 ft narrow scaled wooden stop. The Old Console LH stop jamb has the only example I know of a stop knob with no footage marked on its ivory but the year Lewis installed it, so it actually reads "Sub Bass Year 1892". PJW

We have had discussions in recent years about the new organs by Skrabl. Well it now seems they have done an electric action rebuild (or restoration according to the internet page) in the UK. Internet pages are here http://www.organappeal.org.uk/history.php ; click on the Restoration Work link for details. edit - I now see that it has made it to the NPOR http://www.npor.org.uk/cgi-bin/Rsearch.cgi...ec_index=N03846 PJW

Nigel, I have no idea how far your Diocese stretches, but on the NPOR website tab under "search for address" and then enter "Warwickshire" and change the radio button to "List buildings without surveys" and "search", it will come up with a list of nearly 200 places for which there are currently no details recorded. Sounds like a good project for a local organists' association! PJW

Glad to be of use. Why not send the details (and your excellent pictures) into NPOR HQ. Details of how to do it are on the NPOR website. Someone has to be the first to catalogue it! Around 10 years or so ago BIOS NPOR sent out an email breakdown of many churches on their database where they had no idea of the musical contents. There were around 120 or so for Gloucestershire. Whilst some had electronic things, many had reed organs or pianos or even nothing at all. I think I visited about 110 of these over the coming years, sometimes doing six or so a day. Good excuse for some nice lunches and getting to know an area of the country I (and 4500 others) had only recently been moved to on a government dispersal exercise. PJW

Nigel, have you tried the The Freeman - Edmonds Directory of British Organ Builders (DBOB) in a tab on the NPOR web site. There are a few references there and it gives the dates of the Firm as 1856 to 1924. Possibly trained with Holdich. If you do a search on the actual NPOR using the search under "search by builder" %atterton% it comes up with quite a long list of jobs (around 50) he was involved with. PJW

Some years ago I sent in a series of corrections to the NPOR to try and get them to include "National Trust" in the address so that it could be used as a search term. "National Trust" in the address search box is currently showing 14 properties. (Interesting to see the cut and paste below pastes more than was displayed on the NPOR screen.) I'm sure that they will be delighted to know of more. PJW Denbighshire (Clwyd) Erddig Park (SJ3248) , Erddig Park , former seat of the Yorke family (National Trust Country House) Chapel Organ Surveyed: See details of K00710 Builders: Entrance Hall Organ Surveyed: 1977 IIP 9 See details of D03324 Organ in bad state of repair Builders: 1865 Bevington Derbyshire Kedleston (SK312403) , Kedleston Hall , DE22 5JH (National Trust Property) Surveyed: 1995 I 7 See details of D02535 Organ playable Builders: 1765 John Snetzler 1824 Alexander Buckingham 1993 Dominic Gwynn Derbyshire Ticknall (SK369223) , St. Giles , Calke Abbey (National Trust), LE65 1RR (Private Church in Calke Abbey Park) Barrel Organ Surveyed: 2001 3 See details of N00414 Builders: 1825? Flight & Robson ? 1865(c.) Devon Castle Drogo (SX721900) , Chapel , EX6 6PB (National Trust Property) Surveyed: 2002 I 9 See details of A00579 Organ unusable Builders: Positive Organ Co Devon Killerton House (SS9700) , Killerton House (National Trust House) Surveyed: 2002 IIP 11 See details of N12976 Builders: 1807 William Gray 1901 Henry Dyer & Son Gloucestershire Snowshill (SP09663389) , Snowshill Manor , WR12 7JU (National Trust Manor House) Surveyed: 1975 I 3 See details of N05778 Builders: 1810(c.) Christopher Gerock Hampshire Sherborne St. John (SU636568) , The Vyne , RG24 9HL (National Trust Property) History of 1949 Henry Holland organ from The Vyne, Basingstoke Surveyed: 1968 I 6 See details of N11325 Organ transferred elsewhere Builders: 1949 1955 N.P. Mander 1960 N.P. Mander Herefordshire (Hereford and Worcester) Croft (SO4565) , Croft Castle (National Trust Property) Surveyed: 2004 I 10 See details of J00031 Organ maintained Builders: 2003 M.J. Doust Kent Sevenoaks -- Knole (TQ539542) , Knole House Chapel , Knole Lane, Knole, TN15 0RP (National Trust Property Chapel) Surveyed: 1968 I 5 See details of N14808 Builders: 1623? Middlesex (London, Greater) Osterley Park (TQ145780) , Osterley Park House , Jersey Road, TW7 4RB (National Trust House) History of 1949 Henry Holland organ from The Vyne, Basingstoke Surveyed: 2003 I 6 See details of R00800 Organ playable Builders: 1788 Henry Holland 2001 Goetze and Gwynn Somerset (Avon) Tyntesfield (ST 506 715) , Tyntesfield Estate Chapel (National Trust Property) Surveyed: 2002 IIP 10 See details of K00078 Organ no longer present Builders: 1873 Wm Hill Somerset (Avon) Tyntesfield (ST 506 715) , Tyntesfield Oratory (National Trust Property) Surveyed: See details of R00931 Organ no longer present Builders: Brindley Surrey Clandon, East (TQ 067 520) , Hatchlands , former residence of Lord Rendel, GU4 7RT (National Trust Property) Surveyed: 2004 IIIP 19 See details of N13737 Organ maintained Builders: 1904 J.W. Walker & Sons Surveyed: 2004 I 9 See details of K00344 Organ playable Builders: 1989 1996 Goetze & Gwynn Warwickshire Coughton (SP083606 ) , St. Peter, Paul & Elizabeth , Coughton Court, (National Trust Property), B49 5JA (Roman Catholic Chapel)

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No Tony; not in its current form. It has now had electronic stops added as well (since the article was written) accessed through a multi position rotary knob and some additional stop knobs. PJW

What a knowledgeable lot you all are; thanks. PJW

Now with added electronic stops as well (not something mentioned in the article). PJW

But where are Cromwell's bones? I have been trying to establish the whereabouts of a certain Rector's bones which were with his Mother's (and his wife went in as well for good measure). The graveyard was sold to Tesco for use as a car park and the local "Bereavement Services" have been very helpful in looking through the re-interments, although they can't trace the Rector. Needless to say the Church have not answered a single letter of enquiry. If ebay had been around then I wonder if they would have sold the bones. Might as well just put me out with the re-cycling. PJW

thanks; yes David Wood of Huddersfield. There are pictures of the Clifton case without pipes etc during the cleaning here: http://www.cliftonms.com/organist/ PJW

The name you are looking for is E A Cawston and I think the work was described as finishing the organ as the initial voicing had been done in a hurry!!!!! The organ has been cleaned recently by a firm whose name escapes me but I think is somewhere around Harrogate or Huddersfield. PJW

At least she has not asked for background music while the speeches are being made (afterall churches have it whilst prayers are said)! PJW